Dune: The Lady of Caladan

Plot summary

A year before Dune begins, the Bene Gesserit summon Lady Jessica from Caladan because the dying Sister Lethea insists on seeing her. Sister Cordana suspects Lethea wants Jessica killed, but Sister Ruthine believes Lethea’s claim that Jessica’s fourteen-year-old son Paul is a threat to the Sisterhood. Jessica becomes friends with Sister Xora, whose son Brom was taken by the Bene Gesserit after her affair with a Sardaukar officer seventeen years earlier.

Duke Leto Atreides goes to Kaitain to win imperial favor, and Count Hasimir Fenring offers to help him sway Emperor Shaddam. Lord Atikk declares kanly against Leto after his son dies from the ailar drug, but Atikk is later poisoned, likely by Fenring. Leto leaves Paul in charge of House Atreides. Swordmaster Duncan Idaho searches Caladan’s dunes for a girl from Paul’s dreams.

Archivar Torono warns that the Muadh people may face danger from renewed drug operations. Lethea secretly tells Jessica she believes Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach. Xora helps Jessica find a message cylinder to contact Paul, then betrays her to Mother Superior Harishka as disloyal. Jessica is sent to seduce Viscount Giandro Tull on Elegy, while Xora is assigned to replace Jessica as Leto’s concubine.

Reception

Ryan Britt of Den of Geek wrote that the novel answers how matters settled before Dune begins, enriching the saga and providing a greater sense of Lady Jessica. Jordan Maison of Cinelinx stated that despite familiar problems, he greatly enjoyed the new trilogy, finding the middle novel excellent at wrapping up earlier storylines while introducing new ones for the final book.